At COSTA NOVA, we developed Ecogres®, a registered trademark of COSTA NOVA that identifies a ceramic raw material made from non-hazardous recycled materials sourced from ceramic surplus and by-products, as well as from other local non-ceramic industries. Products identified with this mark are made using this ceramic body, whose final composition contains approximately 95% recycled materials.
In 2023, COSTA NOVA opened a manufacturing facility in the Mota Industrial Zone in Ílhavo, Aveiro, with capacity for up to 300 employees and dedicated specifically to the production of Ecogres.
The Ecogres clay body production process begins with the collection, sorting, and batching of ceramic surplus and by-products generated at our factories. These materials are then combined with other ones, including surplus from neighboring industries, to stabilize the composition of the clay.
The recycled clay body used in Ecogres production represents approximately 25% of the ceramic body purchased from local external suppliers.
The process results in a homogeneous ceramic body containing approximately 95% recycled materials, with properties suitable for the production of fine stoneware, including water absorption below 0.5% and high mechanical strength.
The entire production process takes place at the same manufacturing facility, from material preparation through to the finished ceramic body ready for use in the production of ceramic pieces.
Extract and Recycle
As mentioned above, ecogres is developed through the recovery and reuse of industrial surplus.
This process enables materials that would otherwise be directed to other destinations to be recovered and reintegrated into the production of a new ceramic raw material.